Thanks JH for cheeses and etymology letter. 'Substantive quality' of names. Agrees with [Thomas] Hobbes, questions sensible perceptions. Invites WH for visit as respite from bad health.
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Thanks JH for cheeses and etymology letter. 'Substantive quality' of names. Agrees with [Thomas] Hobbes, questions sensible perceptions. Invites WH for visit as respite from bad health.
Returning home; father dying. News of Cambridge friends. Unable to send information JH requested about university at Ryde. William Whewell upset, because Whewell's father died and was buried before Whewell was notified.
Manuscripts for [1816 translation of S. F. Lacroix's Traité du calcul différential et du calcul intégral] are ready. Send notes and missing appendix quickly, or press will stop.
Mentions some chemical experiments on which JH has worked; hopes EC will exhibit his experiments for R.S.L.
Describes chemical experiments carried out by JH on corundum. Attempts to interpret these experiments.
Praises EC for 'amazing experiments' published in [William T.] Brande's journal [Quarterly Journal of Science and Art]. Wishes EC's publication had appeared in R.S.P.T. Has an experiment to show EC.
Thanks EC for his interest in a paper JH submitted to the Geological Society. JH has come to question some of his observations and to recognize that J. J. Berzelius anticipated JH's recognition of the acid nature of silica.
Reports on some chemical results obtained by JH.
Sending EC a specimen that W. H. Wollaston describes as 'the most intractable substance by fire' he has ever seen. Discusses its properties and possible chemical composition.
Returns with thanks EC's specimen of Island Crystal. Also discusses specimen of titanium lent by EC.
Has dispatched the manuscripts of William Spence by coach, and encloses the key. Hopes JH will call on him when in town.
JG's wife recovering from serious illness; JG writing on population.
Family news; agrees to forward any manuscript JH sends to John Playfair.
Family news; is preparing his writings on population [see JG's 1816-2-8] for publication.
Family news and the law.
JG announces the death of his daughter Anne, and the publication of his book on population.
Received Smith's letter and "curious melon seed"; currently his preferred variety is the green fleshed Egyptian melon. His family: son at Brussels, Lady Frankland confined by paralytic stroke since 20 October, and his brother become incurably blind.
Received Smith's letter from Woburn [Abbey, Bedfordshire]. His health good but Lady Frankland weakened by summer weather, gave up London trip to care for her. His son in Geneva avoiding the 400 English there, but returning to act as his uncle's executor and so Lady Frankland can meet her new daughter-in-law for first time. Grew successful crop of Great Mogul melons from the seeds Smith sent from Lord [Thomas, 1st Viscount] Anson's [(1769-1818)] and will compare with the green Egyptian and scarlet-fleshed melons, though thinks melons too troublesome to be worth raising.
Strawberry propagation: laid straw in two beds of alpine and pine strawberries, in the latter half of ripe fruit was daily found scooped out, the gardeners think it was slugs but he suspects beetles concealed in the straw during the day, encloses specimen. Strawberry plants given him by [Edward Lascelles, 1st Earl of] Harewood's [(1740-1820)] gardener in January 1815 not pines; they have a uniform shape, a higher colour, blood red inside, and firmer than pines, detailed ink sketch of fruit. Unable to succeed with hautboys even when raising from seed of very fine fruit of Mr [Christopher] Dundas' in Berkshire.
Two beetles in small blue envelope labelled "Beetles 'Carabus striatus' Kirby mss. near 'vulgaris'".
Thanks for Smith's letter of 13 [January]. Just recovered from severe cough and inflammation on the lungs, the same as last year which Mr Williams "wilfully" misdiagnosed. Surprised and upset by failure of [William] Roscoe's bank [Roscoe was a partner in the Clarke family bank, which failed in 1816]. Fears the country is in a "miserable state" and does not know what can be done to pay the nation's creditors. He has no rents and farms thrown "on hand", wishes that [Thomas William] Coke's tenant who "set a notable example of calling out his landlord" had been "more severely punished". Would be happy to see Smith's friend Mr Lane at Lympstone, [Devon].
By request of Mrs [Jane] Johnes informs Smith of the death of Colonel [Thomas] Johnes, at four p.m. yesterday afternoon.